Inflation in August edges up to highest level in two years

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WHAT WE’RE TRACKING TODAY

THIS MORNING: Wajd dips on Nomu debut

Good morning. Saudi’s booming fintech scene is heavily featured in this morning’s news well, as Money 20/20 enters its second day and Hala raises USD 157 mn in one of the biggest Series B rounds in the sector. We also unpack Gastat’s latest inflation data, which saw important changes to methodology that reset the reference year to 2023 and moved around the weights of good baskets. Let’s dive in.

HAPPENING TODAY-

The Global Infrastructure Expo continues today at Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center. The three-day event brings together over 25 countries, 300 exhibitors, and 50 experts for panel discussions, workshops, and exhibitions covering technology, investment, sustainability, and urban development.

Smart Cities Saudi Summit will also be held today as part of the three-day Smart Cities SaudiExpo at Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center. The summit — co-located with the Global Infrastructure Expo — will bring together policymakers, technology pioneers and city planners to exchange ideas on smart mobility and connected transport, sustainable and resilient development, digital infrastructure and urban intelligence and citizen-centric services, according to a press release (pdf).

⚠️ WEATHER- Heavy rain and thunderstorms over Riyadh, Asir, and Najran until Friday. Meanwhile, moderate to heavy showers persist over Makkah, along downpours, hail and dust storms. Heavy rain is expected on Jazan and Al Baha, while light rain is expected on the Eastern Province.

Riyadh: 39°C high / 24°C low,
Jeddah: 43°C high / 31°C low
Makkah: 46°C high / 34°C low.

PSAs-

#1- Back to (midday) work: The daily midday work ban for private sector employees, which ran between 12-3pm, officially ended yesterday, the Human Resources Ministry said on X. The three-month measure came into effect on 15 June to reduce occupational injuries and promote worker health amid rising temperatures, and it recorded a compliance rate of 94%.

#2- Title deed registration for 44.7k properties in 10 neighborhoods in Jeddah is now open until 18 December, the Real Estate General Authority said in a statement. Property owners can register online through the Real Estate Registry website or by visiting a service center.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- AlJazira opens books on AT1 sukuk: Bank AlJazira launched USD-denominated AT1 capital certificates under its newly-established USD 1.5 bn program, with a minimum subscription of USD 200k, according to a disclosure. The perpetual instruments, callable after five years, will be listed on the London Stock Exchange. Pricing will be set based on market conditions. This comes a week after the lender announced its intention to issue the notes.

ADVISORS- Our friends at Mashreq alongside AlJazira Capital, Citi, Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), Emirates NBD, JP Morgan, and StanChart are acting as joint leads.

ALSO- Almarai eyes FCY sukuk: Dairy giant Almarai is planning to issue USD-denominated trust certificates under its updated USD 2 bn sukuk program, it said in a filing to Tadawul. Final size and terms will also depend on market conditions. The dairy giant closed a SAR 1 bn takeover of Pure Beverages Industry last month.

ADVISORS- Our friends at HSBC alongside Citigroup, Dubai Islamic Bank, Emirates NBD Bank, JP Morgan and Standard Chartered Bank as joint leads.

#2- Wajd dips on debut: Wajd Life Trading Company shed 8.1% of its share price on its Nomu debut to close at SAR 5.20 a pop yesterday, down from a final offer price of SAR 5.70. Some 457.5k shares changed hands, generating a turnover of SAR 2.6 mn across 881 trades. The stock will be allowed to fluctuate within a 30% range per day, with a static band of 10%. The slump bucks a wider trend of strong debuts on the parallel market — think Sign World and Naf for Feed.

REFRESHER- The medical equipment supplier floated a 20% stake in a primary offering, which was 179% covered. The firm raised SAR 14.3 mn in gross IPO proceeds — set to finance growth and expansion plans, support operational efficiency, and strengthen its financials.

#3- Visa now provides Visa Acceptance Platform’s services on local cloud in the Kingdom, marking Visa’s first worldwide implementation, the company said in a press release yesterday. The move aims to provide Saudi businesses with faster and more secure payments through CyberSource, enabling two-stage payments, card-on-file, and recurring payments for mada cards — pending Sama certification.

What they said: “With Saudi Arabia already reaching 79% non-cash transactions, Visa’s expanded local payments infrastructure will help drive the next phase of growth to support Vision 2030’s digital economy ambitions,” Visa’s Regional General Manager Ali Bailoun said.

#4- Egypt’s dairy player Domty is considering setting up a factory in Saudi Arabia in the near future, CEO Mohamed El Damaty told EnterpriseAM. The move comes as part of the EGX-listed company’s plan to set up shop in its largest export markets — the GCC and Africa. The timeline for the targeted expansion was not disclosed.

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THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

International headlines are locked on US President Donald Trump’s visit to the UK this week, where Washington and London are set to roll out over USD 10 bn in economic agreements covering science and technology, civil nuclear power, and defense tech. The package — which officials say will deepen financial and innovation ties — will be unveiled during an event with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves. (Reuters | Bloomberg | CNN | BBC | The Guardian | Associated Press | New York Times)

CLOSER TO HOME- Qatar’s emir has urged Arab and Muslim leaders to take “concrete steps” against Israel after last week’s missile strikes in Doha that targeted Hamas leadership, writes the Financial Times. In his speech during yesterday’s emergency Arab-Islamic summit, attended by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani denounced the attack as “blatant, treacherous and cowardly” and accused Israel of waging a “genocidal war” on Palestinians.

AND IN MARKET NEWS- Alphabet became the fourth US company to hit a market cap of USD 3 tn yesterday after shares hit a record USD 252 on the back of investor optimism following the company’s July results. (Financial Times | Reuters | CNBC | Bloomberg | Wall Street Journal)

ALSO WORTH NOTING THIS MORNING- A wave of Gen Z revolutions is reshaping Asian politics, as youthful protesters from Nepal to Bangladesh and Indonesia mobilize social media platforms to topple entrenched leaders, demand transparency, and challenge corrupt elites. (Financial Times)

Annual inflation edges up to 2.3% in August

Annual inflation slightly accelerated to 2.3% y-o-y in August, up 0.2 percentage points from July and the highest level in two year, according to the General Authority for Statistics’ (Gastat) latest consumer price index (pdf). The increase was driven by a 5.8% increase in prices of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels.

The reading comes as Gastat updated the index’s methodology, setting 2023 as the new reference year and revising the basket’s items and weights based on the 2023 household income and expenditure survey. The update expanded the number of items from 490 to 582, widened coverage from 16 to 23 cities, and cut the weight of housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels from 25.5% to 19.5%, while raising the weight of food and beverages from 18.8% to 22%, making it the heaviest component in the index.

On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.1% in August, primarily due to a 0.4% rise in the housing water, electricity, gas, and fuel sector, driven by a 0.6% rise in actual housing rent prices. Gastat’s full report on August’s average prices of goods and services is available here (pdf).

Rent would not let up yet: Housing, water, electricity, gas, and other fuels saw a 5.8% y-o-y increase during the month. Rents paid for housing drove the increase, rising 7.6% y-o-y.

Food and beverage prices also inched up 1.1% y-o-y, supported by a 1.5% rise in fresh or chilled meat prices. Personal care, social protection, and other goods and services rose 4.8% y-o-y, stemming from an 18.0% surge in jewelry and watch prices.

ALSO- Restaurants and accommodation services prices climbed 3.0% y-o-y, mainly due to a 4.7% rise in accommodation service prices. Transport prices rose 1.2% y-o-y, driven by a 5.3% increase in passenger transport prices.

On the decline: Furnishings, household equipment, and routine household maintenance prices fell 0.3% y-o-y, largely due to a 3.3% drop in furniture, furnishings, and carpet prices. Meanwhile, information and communication prices decreased by 0.4%, weighed down by a 6.7% decline in information and communication equipment prices.

LOOKING AHEAD- Riyad Capital sees inflation rising to 2.5% this year, before easing slightly to 2.3% in 2026. Meanwhile, the IMF said in June that inflation in Saudi Arabia will remain around 2% this year, supported by the currency’s peg to the USD, domestic subsidies, and a flexible labor supply.

WHOLESALE PRICE INDEX-

Producer prices rose 2.1% y-o-y in August, unchanged from July, according to Gastat’s wholesale price index (pdf). This was driven by a 4.2% increase in other transportable goods, except metal products, machinery, and equipment, as well as a 4.4% rise in agricultural and fishery products.

Wholesale prices inched up 0.2% m-o-m during the month, supported by higher metal products, machinery, and equipment prices, which were up 0.2% on the back of a 0.9% increase in transport equipment and a 0.7% rise in fabricated metal products. The monthly uptick was further driven by a 0.4% m-o-m rise in other transportable goods, fueled by a 3.3% increase in basic chemicals and a 0.2% rise in other chemical products and artificial fibers.

Money 20/20’s first day features Tamara, Google Pay and more

The Money 20/20 Middle East conference kicked off yesterday in Riyadh, bringing together over 350 speakers, 450 brands, and 600 investors managing USD 7 tn in assets from more than 40 countries. Organized by FinTech Saudi with Tahaluf, the event spotlights AI, open finance, and instant payments, with dedicated platforms to connect investors and emerging companies.

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#1- BNPL firm Tamara landed a shariah-compliant asset-backed facility worth up to USD 2.4 bn from Goldman Sachs, Citi, and Apollo funds, it said in a press release yesterday. Announced at the Money 20/20 Middle East, the deal fully refinances and upsizes a previous USD 500 mn facility arranged by Goldman Sachs. The package comprises an initial USD 1.4 bn tranche, with a further USD 1 bn available over the next three years, pending regulatory approvals.

Where is the money going? Proceeds will support the expansion of Tamara’s credit and payment products, diversification into new offerings, and its goal of building a regional financial super app. The facility also boosts the company’s lending capacity as it scales beyond current 20 mn users and 87k merchants.

#2- Watch out, Apple: Google Pay and Google Wallet are now live in the Kingdom, adding tap-to-pay services for Android users, Google announced in a blog post yesterday. The Google Wallet app is now available to download from the Play Store, allowing users to integrate their national payment system (mada) and credit cards like Visa and Mastercard for in-store purchases, with online services to be available soon.

Who can use it? The new service is available for Al Rajhi Bank and Riyad Bank’s customers at launch, with more banks to follow suit later.

ALSO- Alipay+ is also on the way: Sama signed an agreement with Singapore’s Ant International to enable Alipay+ transactions through mada starting in 2026, giving international visitors and users of Alipay+ network wallets the ability to make payments at participating merchants.

The two heavy hitters enter a booming market: E-payments rose to 79% by 2024, exceeding their 70% target for the year, SPA quoted Finance Minister Mohammed Al Jadaan as saying. Active fintech firms expanded to 280 by mid-2025, marking a 22% y-o-y increase, and a significant jump from fewer than 20 a decade ago.

ALSO FROM MONEY 20/20- Saudi HR platform Jisr launched Jisr Spend, the first locally built expense management solution in the Kingdom that integrates corporate cards and reimbursements into a single system, according to a press release.

AND- Derayah Financial bags two partnerships: Derayah Financial completed technical integration with US-based brokerage platform Alpaca, allowing Alpaca's non-resident clients to trade directly in the Saudi market. The firm also signed a partnership with Tamra Capital to develop joint investment products.

Access to capital is a key theme at Money 20/20: Raising capital is the biggest "pain point" for early-stage founders, Gulf News quoted Managing Partner at +VC Hasan Haider as saying. Meanwhile, MD at Partners for Growth Armineh Baghoomian emphasized the need for alternative funding, stating that "growth debt fills that gap, providing a flexible, founder-friendly alternative."

WHAT TO WATCH FOR- Standard Chartered Ventures will sign four MoUs this week with an unnamed local bank and Tadawul affiliate Wamid, Middle East Head Mohammed Feroz told Al Arabiya. He also confirmed plans to establish a new investment fund in the Kingdom to support emerging businesses with logistical and financial solutions.

The upcoming days are also set to see product launches, from fintechs like Madkhol, Drahim, and more. Stay tuned for our ongoing coverage.

Vision Bank gets Sama’s go-ahead

Another digital bank gets the go-ahead: Vision Bank secured a non-objection from the Saudi Central Bank (Sama) to kick off its full digital banking operations in the Kingdom, Sama said in a statement. The approval allows the bank to provide its full range of services, transitioning from the pilot phase that had been ongoing since January.

About the bank: Formerly known as Saudi Digital Bank, the shariah-compliant bank was established in 2021 as a closed joint-stock company with a capital of SAR 1.5 bn. It was founded by a consortium of undisclosed companies led by Abdulrahman bin Saad Al Rashed & Sons (Artar). Almoammar Information Systems is also among the shareholders, holding a SAR 25 mn stake, according to a 2023 financial statement (pdf).

Joining the roster: The bank is the third digital bank that gets Sama’s green light to operate in the Kingdom, following STC Bank in January and D360 Bank in December 2024.

No "light-touch": The Kingdom's regulations treat digital banks as full banks, subject to the same prudential requirements as physical banks, including capital and liquidity, governance, and risk requirements. Digital banks must also be locally incorporated and keep their head office on Saudi soil and need to meet additional requirements related to cybersecurity and data protection.

Zain KSA secures SAR 5.5 bn murabaha refinancing facility

Tadawul-listed Zain KSA secured a SAR 5.5 bn murabaha facility from a bank syndicate that involves Al Rajhi Bank, Arab National Bank, Saudi National Bank, Riyad Bank, and Gulf International Bank, it said in a bourse disclosure. The five-year funding agreement, effective 30 September, comes with a one-year grace period.

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Where’s the money going? Proceeds will refinance SAR 4.7 bn in existing murabaha facilities and a SAR 500 mn receivables discounting facility, both maturing this month. The remaining SAR 300 mn will support the firm’s operational and investment needs. Zain said the new facility comes on more favorable terms.

Not the first we’re hearing of it: The move comes seven months after the telco lined up a SAR 1.93 bn, five-year shariah-compliant loan with Al Rajhi Bank to refinance its outstanding murabha facility with the Finance Ministry. The is set to mature in February 2030.

REFRESHER- Zain KSA saw its net bottom line rise 27.9% y-o-y to SAR 220 mn in 1H 2025, while its topline increased 5.1% y-o-y to SAR 5.3 bn. The telco exceeded analysts' expectations in 2Q on the back of growth in high-margin segments and lower financing costs.

Hala bags USD 157 mn to fuel SME lending push

Homegrown fintech Hala secured USD 157 mn in a Series B funding, led by TPG’s The Rise Funds and Sanabil Investments, with participation from other investors, it said on LinkedIn yesterday. The round is one of the largest fintech series B rounds in the Middle East and comprises USD 130 mn in equity and USD 27 mn in debt, valuing the company at USD 900 mn, Bloomberg reported yesterday, citing a source it said is familiar with the matter.

Where’s the money going? Hala plans to channel the fresh capital into expanding its financial services and lending products for SMEs and freelancers, while also widening its regional footprint. “Nailing financing to basically a base that was never — and will never — be served by banks, is something that keeps us excited,” co-founder and chairman Esam Alnahdi told Bloomberg.

More in the works: The firm eyes international expansion into UK and European markets, while also laying the early groundwork for an eventual IPO in the Kingdom, co-founder and CEO Maher Loubieh told Bloomberg. The company may also seek additional equity down the line to fund acquisitions and fuel its fast-growing lending business, Loubieh added.

REFRESHER- The company joined the Saudi Unicorns Program in October 2024 — a milestone that followed its undisclosed amount funding from TPG earlier in May of last year.

About Hala: Founded by Esam Alnahdi (LinkedIn) and Maher Loubieh (LinkedIn) in 2018, Hala provides embedded financial services — business accounts, card issuance, payments and transfers, POS solutions, financing and corporate cards — and serves over 142k businesses while processing more than USD 8 bn in annual transactions.

Al Futtaim completes acquisition of 49.95% of Cenomi Retail, extends loan facility

M&A WATCH-

Al Futtaim Group’s planned acquisition of a 49.95% stake in Cenomi Retail for SAR 2.5 bn is now complete, sealing the agreement the two giants inked back in July, Cenomi said in a disclosure to Tadawul yesterday. Besides buying the stake from the founding Alhokair family shareholders, Al Futtaim will extend a SAR 1.35 bn loan facility to shore up Cenomi’s finances and fund its recovery.

New shareholders step in: As the new agreement takes effect, six notable shareholders and Cenomi’s board members stepped down including Chairman Fawaz Abdulaziz Alhokair and Vice Chairman Abdulmajeed Abdulaziz Alhokair, Cenomi said in a separate disclosure to Tadawul. Four new members joined the Cenomi’s board, including Al Futtaim’s Retail President Wassim Arabi and Al Futtaim’s Group Director Russell Rodrigues, pending shareholders’ approval.

The road is clear for fresh funds: Cenomi secured a SAR 1.6 bn credit facility from Emirates NBD Bank on Sunday, which rests on the completion of the transaction with Al Futtaim. The facility will be used to prepay and settle Cenomi’s existing bank debts and includes a 90-day short-term loan, set to be repaid by a three-year term loan with a possible two-year extension at the bank’s discretion.

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ENERGY-

Aramco awarded UK-based Subsea7 an engineering, procurement, construction, and installation (EPCI) contract for an offshore project, according to a statement. While the contract’s value was not disclosed, Subsea7 put it under its “major contract” category, indicating a value range between USD 750 mn and USD 1.25 bn.

The details: The contract covers 106 km of infield and export pipelines, modifications to existing topsides, and associated hook-up activities. The company will start on engineering work and project management right away, while offshore activities are set for 2027-2028.

About the company: Subsea7 is a global offshore energy services provider supporting the transition to lower-carbon oil and gas, renewables, and emerging energy like hydrogen. The company has offices in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Aramco awarded Subsea7 a contract for the decommissioning of existing subsea facilities as well as the engineering, procurement, construction, and installation of a new pipeline and subsea equipment at the Abu Safah field last year.

REAL ESTATE-

Tatweej Contracting x Almajdiah: Dar Al Majed Real Estate (Almajdiah) inked two agreements worth a combined SAR 453.6 mn with Tatweej Contracting to handle the construction and infrastructure works for two of Tatweej’s residential projects, it said in two separate Tadawul disclosures yesterday. The scope of work involves civil, architectural, electrical, and mechanical works for the units, which are being developed in partnership with the National Housing Company (NHC).

The details:The first contract, valued at SAR 298.1 mn, is for the Adeem Alfursan project in Riyadh, which includes 540 off-plan villas and townhouses. The second one, valued at SAR 155.5 mn, is for Jeddah’s Khayala 1 project, which includes 528 residential off-plan units. Both contracts have a three-year tenure.

US Fed set to deliver first cut of 2025 as global central banks line up policy moves

The Fed is expected to deliver its first rate cut in nine months tomorrow, with a 25 basis point reduction looking like the most likely scenario. A bigger 50 bps cut could be on the table as well amid signs that US job growth is slowing, Bloomberg reports. Futures also price further reductions in October and December, and deeper into 2026, as softening consumption and weaker job growth offset concerns about tariff-driven inflation.

Treasuries have dipped to their lowest in months ahead of the meeting, CNBC reports, with the 10-year yield at 4.06%, the 2-year at 3.55%, and the 30-year at 4.68%.

Everyone’s focus will now shift on the pace of cuts moving forward. Retail sales data due today and jobless claims on Thursday will help shape expectations for the pace of easing, especially as inflation still remains above the Fed’s target. The Fed’s dovish tone, coupled with US President Donald Trump’s pressure on the Fed to cut rates and the last-minute appointment of Trump adviser Stephen Miran as Fed governor in time for this week’s meeting, all support the case for a steady string of cuts in the near term.

Data-driven, but largely political: Bloomberg economists frame the move as primarily political, despite the hard data making a case for it in line with the Fed’s mandate, saying, “the markets expect a rate cut, the White House wants it — and we think Powell is doing what he sees as needed to fend off further threats to the Fed’s independence.”

Strategists warn the cut may cool risk appetite. The S&P 500 is up 12% this year on Big Tech and AI momentum, but Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan see scope for profit-taking, Bloomberg reports separately. “Near-term risk is centered on the tension between lagging, weak labor data, and the Fed’s response that may not meet the markets’ ‘need for speed’,” said Morgan Stanley’s Michael Wilson.

Others remain upbeat: Deutsche Bank and Barclays have raised their year-end S&P targets on the back of tech momentum and strong corporate earnings, while Oppenheimer’s John Stoltzfus expects any dip after the cut to be shallow if US fundamentals hold.

The Fed decision also kicks off a 36-hour run of central bank moves covering two-fifths of global GDP:

The Bank of Canada is expected to cut its policy rate by 25 bps to 2.5% after economic contraction in 2Q and weak jobs figures;
The Bank of England will likely hold steady at 4% following its August cut, though officials are expected to slow quantitative tightening;
Norway faces a close call between holding or cutting again, with inflation staying above 3% and making the case for postponing a cut;
The Bank of Japan is set to leave rates unchanged but looks likely to maintain a tightening bias as inflation remains elevated.

Elsewhere, others are holding steady. Brazil is expected to keep interest rates at 15%, while South Africa looks likely to keep its benchmark rate at 7% as inflation ticks higher and forecasts put Bank Indonesia as holding steady at 5% amid political uncertainty. Israel’s inflation may fall below target for the first time in more than a year, potentially opening the door to cuts later this month.

MARKETS THIS MORNING-

Asian markets are firmly in the green this morning amid signs that US-China talks in Spain are going well, with Japan’s Nikkei and Topix both notching fresh highs. Wall Street futures are mostly flat on news of Miran’s appointment as Fed governor, following a day in the green for S&P 500 and Nasdaq.

TASI	10,427	-0.1% (YTD: -13.4%)
MSCI Tadawul 30	1,358	-0.3% (YTD: -10.0%)
NomuC	24,951	+0.2% (YTD: -20.7%)
USD : SAR (SAMA)	USD 3.75 Sell	USD 3.75 Buy
Interest rates	5.0% repo	4.5% reverse repo
EGX30	35,166	+0.2% (YTD: +18.2%)
ADX	10,036	+0.2% (YTD: +6.6%)
DFM	6,041	+0.2% (YTD: +17.1%)
S&P 500	6,615	+0.5% (YTD: +12.5%)
FTSE 100	9,277	-0.1% (YTD: +13.5%)
Euro Stoxx 50	5,440	+0.9% (YTD: +11.1%)
Brent crude	USD 67.52	+0.1%
Natural gas (Nymex)	USD 3.01	-1.0%
Gold	USD 3,717	-0.1%
BTC	USD 115,438	+0.1% (YTD: +23.4%)
Sukuk/bond market index	917.41	0.0% (YTD: +1.7%)
S&P MENA Bond & Sukuk	150.36	0.0% (YTD: +7.4)
VIX (Volatility Index)	15.69	+6.3% (YTD: -9.6%)

THE CLOSING BELL: TADAWUL-

The TASI fell 0.1% yesterday on turnover of SAR 6.6 bn. The index is down 13.4% YTD.

In the green: Cenomi Retail (+10.0%), Saudi Ceramics (+6.7%) and Bahri (+6.4%).

In the red: Alakaria (-2.5%), MIS (-2.2%) and Alrajhi (-2.1%).

THE CLOSING BELL: NOMU-

The NomuC rose 0.2% yesterday on turnover of SAR 26.9 mn. The index is down 20.7% YTD.

In the green: Naf (+20.1%), Future Care (+15.6%) and United Mining (+7.5%).

In the red: Wajd Life (-8.1%), AME (-6.5%) and Apico (-5.8%).

CORPORATE ACTIONS-

Al RajhiBank’s board approved the distribution of SAR 3 bn in dividends for 1H 2025 at SAR 0.75 apiece, it said in a Tadawul disclosure yesterday. The distribution date is slated for Thursday, 2 October.

CALENDAR

15-17 September (Monday-Wednesday): Smart Cities Saudi Expo 2025, Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center.

15-17 September (Monday-Wednesday): Money 20/20 Middle East, Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Center.

15-17 September (Monday-Wednesday): Global Infrastructure Forum, Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center.

16-18 September (Tuesday-Thursday): Orgatech Workspace Saudi Arabia, Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center.

17-18 September (Wednesday-Thursday): US Federal Reserve Open Market Committee meeting and Summary of Economic Projections.

23 September (Tuesday): Saudi National Day.

24-25 September (Wednesday-Thursday): Schneider Electric’s Innovation Summit, Hilton Residences Riyadh.

28-30 September (Sunday-Tuesday): Jeddah Construct, Jeddah Superdome.

29 September-1 October (Monday-Wednesday): Intersec Saudi Arabia, Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Riyadh.

29-30 September (Monday-Tuesday): Cultural Investment Conference, King Fahd Cultural Center, Riyadh.

30 September (Tuesday): Deadline for businesses subject to VAT to file their August tax returns.

3Q 2025

The National Water Company is expected to award a construction contract for the Hail Region Water Networks project.

OCTOBER

1 October (Wednesday): Electronic salary transfer via the Musaned platform to include employers with two or more domestic workers.

1-3 October (Wednesday-Friday): Saudi Green Building Forum, Riyadh.

1-3 October (Wednesday-Friday): FIBO Arabia 2025, Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center.

5 October-8 January 2026: Title deed registration for 3.2k properties in Al Yasmin district, Hail.

6-8 October (Monday-Wednesday): Saudi Lifestyle Week, Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center.

7-8 October (Tuesday-Wednesday): Global EV & Mobility Technology (GEMTECH) Forum, Riyadh.

12 October-15 January 2026: Title deed registration for 31.7k properties in 14 neighborhoods in the Eastern Province.

12 October-15 January 2026: Title deed regiswatch tration for about 157.3k properties in 78 neighborhoods across the Eastern Province.

15 October (Wednesday): Russian-Arab Summit.

16 October (Thursday): Aviation Impact Middle East, Hyatt Regency Riyadh Olaya .

17 October (Friday): Saudization for private healthcare roles enters its second phase.

21 October (Tuesday): The Visual Arts Commission will hold a public talk and a live performance in Paris through Asia NOW under its Art & Ideas program.

21-22 October (Tuesday-Wednesday): Saudi Festival of Creativity (Athar), JAX District, Riyadh.

21-23 October (Tuesday-Thursday): Global Internet of Things Congress 2025 (GIoTC 2025), the Arena Venue, Riyadh.

22-23 October (Wednesday-Thursday): Private Capital Forum, Riyadh.

23-25 October (Thursday-Saturday): Zenos Wellness Summit, Bab Samhan Hotel, Riyadh.

24 October-1 November (Friday-Saturday): AlUla Wellness Festival.

26-27 October (Sunday-Monday): The Global Proptech Summit 2025, Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh.

27-30 October (Monday-Thursday): Global Health Exhibition, Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Center, Riyadh.

27-30 October (Monday-Thursday): Future Investment Initiative (FII9), King Abdulaziz International Conference Center (KAICC) and the Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh.

28-29 October (Tuesday-Wednesday): US Federal Reserve Open Market Committee meeting.

NOVEMBER

2 November (Sunday): Naming ASICS Innovation Pitch competition’s six finalists.

3-9 November (Monday- Sunday): WTA Tour Finals, Riyadh.

5-9 November (Wednesday-Sunday): Jewellery Salon Expo, Riyadh.

7-8 November (Sunday-Monday): The Visual Arts Commission will conclude its Art & Ideas program with a two-day symposium in Riyadh.

8-9 November (Saturday-Sunday): Del Monte Superleague Supercup, Jeddah.

9 November (Sunday): The deadline for applications for the second batch of the Standard Incentives for the Industrial sector deadline.

10-12 November (Monday-Wednesday): BioFach Saudi Arabia, Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center.

11-13 November (Tuesday-Thursday): TouriseSummit, Riyadh.

17-20 November (Monday-Thursday): Cityscape Global, Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Centre, Riyadh.

19-22 November (Wednesday-Saturday): PIF Saudi International Golf Championship, Riyadh Gold Club.

20 November (Thursday): Deadline for title deed registration for 14.6k properties across 21 neighborhoods in Qassim.

22 November (Saturday): The Ring IV, ANB arena, Riyadh.

23-26 November (Sunday-Wednesday): Saudi Food Exhibition and Conference, Riyadh.

23-27 November (Sunday-Thursday): Global Industry Summit by United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Riyadh.

24-26 November (Monday-Wednesday): The World Advanced Manufacturing & Logistics Saudi Expo, Riyadh.

24-26 November (Monday-Wednesday): Metropolis Madinah Conference for civilizational capitals, King Salman International Convention Centre (KSICC), Al Madinah.

25-26 November (Thursday-Saturday): The Global Sustainability Expo, The Arena Riyadh Venue, Ghirnatah.

25-29 November (Thursday-Monday): General Aviation Airshow 2025 - Sand & Fun, Riyadh.

27 November (Saturday): Deadline for title deed registration for 8.7k properties in Jeddah’s Al Sheraa and Al Amwaj neighborhoods.

27-30 November (Thursday-Sunday): World Rally Championship Saudi Arabia 2025, Jeddah.

28-30 November (Friday-Sunday): UIM F1H2O World Championship, Jeddah.

30 November (Sunday): Zatca 21st E-invoicing integration wave deadline.

30 November-1 December (Sunday-Monday): FII Priority Asia Summit, Tokyo.

DECEMBER

1-3 December (Monday-Wednesday): Industrial Transformation Saudi Arabia, Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center.

1-4 December (Monday-Thursday): International Conference on Nuclear and Radiological Emergencies, Riyadh.

1-4 December (Monday-Thursday): 61st ISOCARP World Planning Congress, Riyadh.

7-9 December (Sunday-Tuesday): CoMotion Global 2025, Riyadh.

9-10 December (Tuesday-Wednesday): Federal Open Market Committee meeting and Summary of Economic Projections.

11 December (Thursday): Deadline for title deed registration for 214.2k properties across Riyadh and the Eastern Province.

25-27 December (Saturday-Monday): The Fortune Global Forum 2025, Riyadh.

31 December (Wednesday): Zatca 22nd E-invoicing integration wave deadline.

31 December (Wednesday): Cancellation of Fines and Exemption of Financial Penalties Initiative by the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (Zatca) deadline.

December: Made in Saudi exhibition, Riyadh International Convention and Exhibition Center, Riyadh

2026

JANUARY

1 January (Thursday): Electronic salary transfer via the Musaned platform becomes mandatory for all domestic workers in the Kingdom.

13-15 January (Tuesday-Thursday): Future Minerals Forum, King Abdul Aziz International Conference Center, Riyadh.

20 January (Tuesday): SuperReturn Saudi Arabia, Hotel Fairmont, Riyadh.

18-21 January (Sunday-Wednesday): Saudi Hospital Design and Build Expo, Riyadh.

26-27 (Monday-Tuesday): GPRC Summit, Riyadh.

26-28 (Monday-Wednesday): Saudi Franchise Expo (SFE), Riyadh Exhibition and Convention Centre, Riyadh.

26-28 (Monday-Wednesday): Real Estate Future Forum, Four Seasons Hotel, Riyadh.

26-28 (Monday-Wednesday): IFAT Saudi Arabia, Riyadh Front Exhibition & Conference Center, Riyadh,

27-28 (Tuesday-Wednesday): SkyMove Air Cargo MENA, Riyadh.

28 (Wednesday): Data Center Nation Riyadh, Riyadh.

28-30 (Wednesday-Friday): Jeddah International Travel and Tourism Exhibition (JTTX), Jeddah.

FEBRUARY

2-4 (Monday-Wednesday): Saudi Media Forum, Riyadh.

2-4 (Monday-Wednesday): Women Leaders Summit and Awards KSA, Riyadh.

3-4 (Tuesday-Wednesday): RLC Global Forum Annual Meeting, Riyadh.

5-7 February (Thursday-Saturday): LIV Golf 2026 season opener, Riyadh Golf Club, Riyadh.

8-12 February (Sunday-Thursday): World Defense Show, Riyadh.

9-14 February (Monday-Saturday): Asian Racing Conference, Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC Hotel & Convention Centre, Riyadh.

11 (Wednesday) Digital Transformation Summit Saudi Arabia (DTS), Riyadh.

11-14 (Wednesday-Saturday): JeddaDerm, Jeddah.

13-14 February (Friday-Saturday): Jeddah E-Prix 2026, Jeddah.

MARCH

31 March (Tuesday): Zatca’s 23rd E-invoicing integration wave deadline.

APRIL

6 April (Monday): Procurement and Supply Chain Futures Forum, Al Faisaliah Hotel, Riyadh.

6-7 April (Monday-Tuesday): Real Estate Supply Chain Forum, Al Faisaliah Hotel, Riyadh.

12-15 April (Sunday-Wednesday): Saudi Print & Pack, Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center.

12-15 April (Sunday-Wednesday): Riyadh International Industry Week, Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center.

12-15 April (Sunday-Wednesday): Saudi Plastics & Petrochem, Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center.

12-15 April (Sunday-Wednesday): Saudi Smart Logistics, Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center.

13-16 April (Monday-Thursday): Leap Tech Conference, Riyadh Exhibition & Convention Center - Malham.

20-22 April (Monday-Wednesday): The Future Hospitality Summit, Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah Al Faisaliah Hotel, Riyadh.

20-22 April (Monday-Wednesday): Saudi Paper and Packaging Expo, Riyadh International Convention & Exhibition Center.

21 April (Tuesday): GC Summit Saudi Arabia 2026, Saudi Arabia.

27-29 April (Monday-Wednesday): Aluminum Arabia, The Arena, Riyadh.

OCTOBER

26-29 October (Monday-Thursday): World Energy Congress, Riyadh.

Signposted to happen sometime in 2026:

UN Trade and Development Global Supply Chain Forum to take place in Saudi Arabia.
November: The Esports Nations Cup, Riyadh.

Signposted to happen sometime in 2027:

The World Water Forum takes place in Riyadh.
The Ocean Race finishes in Amaala on the Red Sea.
Riyadh-Kudmi transmission line to be completed.

Signposted to happen sometime in 2Q 2027:

The Hail Region Water Networks Project is expected to be completed.

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